Happy Anniversary, Partner
by Detective Rysposito
Summary: CODA to 7x23, Hollanders Woods- Kevin and Javier celebrate their 10th anniversary.


**This is gen, unlike pretty much all my other Rysposito fics. I hope you still enjoy tho. I was so happy to see that it was their anniversary, like that's adorable and though I wish they went back to that, I was happy with the 3 seconds of screen time (Hey in that fandom with this ship, we take what we can get).**

 **This is Javi's POV and the beginning is a flashback (why it's in past tense and calls him ryan) and then it's present (explaining the present tense verbs and javi refers to him as kevin). if it's confusing, i'm sorry, i've been trying to test present tense usage more bc i fell like past tense is wrong idk.**

 **anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

"May 11, 2005."

Esposito picked his head up to look at the new guy. He was his new partner, but Esposito didn't understand how the Captain could give him this bright eyed kid to him as a partner. Espo didn't doubt that one shove from a perp and he would be down for the chase. Cap claimed he was a transfer from Narco, but Esposito didn't buy it.

"Excuse me?" Esposito said taking a seat at his desk across from Ryan.

"May 11, 2005." He repeated with a smile.

Why the hell was he smiling? They just had to chase some scumbag for 3 blocks before Esposito was finally able to tackle him to the ground. Sure it was an easy, solved in under 24 hours, kind of case, but it was too early for the smiling.

"I heard you the first time. What's so important about today's date?"

Ryan's smile faltered making Espo feel just a bit guilty about being so rude to him. The whole day he's been curt and snippy with him. "It's our first day as partners and solving a case together." He informed him.

Esposito flicked his eyes up at him, who was staring at him with that damn smile again. "What? You want a certificate, Sherlock?"

Ryan's nose scrunched up along with his eyebrows, "No...just so we know in the future. 10 years from now, we can say it's our anniversary. You know?"

Esposito didn't expect to still be working with this kid _10 years from now_ , let alone start planning anniversaries. "Awesome," He said flatly, "Remind me 10 years from today and we'll go get a beer. Maybe on our 20th, we'll even go for pizza at Chuck E. Cheese"

God, he was just being _cruel_ , but someone should have told him that he just lost a partner he was close to. He wasn't looking to replace him now or anytime soon.

Ryan kept his mouth shut after that. His smile transformed into a tight frown and he looked down to his paperwork. Esposito sighed and turned back to his own work. They worked in silence for the next half hour; it was much different from the start of the day when Ryan was talking nonstop about everything from New York traffic to last night's Yankee game.

A few minutes before their shift ended, Beckett approached the two. "We're finished here today, you two can head home…" She trailed off looking over at Ryan and probably noticed how defeated he looked, "You feeling okay, Ryan?"

Ryan was already packing up his things, "I'm fine. See you guys tomorrow." He looked over at Esposito, but didn't make eye contact, unlike before. "Good work today, Esposito."

Espo felt Beckett's eyes on him, but he couldn't find it in himself to talk with Ryan and have an actual conversation with him after he treated him like crap the whole day.

The moment Ryan turned to the elevator, Beckett narrowed her eyes at Esposito, "Day one and and he already wants to leave."

"Only took up to a half hour ago." Esposito muttered, regretfully.

Beckett's face fell, "Don't turn him away. I know it's hard for you, but I really think he'll be good for you. I heard he went through a lot in Narco and you went through a lot as well."

Esposito stood up from his desk with a sigh and went to turn to the elevator where he saw Ryan had yet to enter. He turned back towards Beckett, "I'm not apologizing because you wanted me to, I'm apologizing because I was an ass."

"Just go, Esposito." Beckett shoved him softly towards the elevator to give him a start on his short run.

He stepped through the doors just in time causing Ryan to look at him in surprise. Esposito smiled weakly, "Instead of waiting 10 years, why don't we get those beers now?"

That wide smile immediately returned to his face, "Sounds good to me, partner."

* * *

Looking back at that day, Esposito can't help but smile. He's glad that he gave Kevin a chance that night. Besides for the part when Kevin was carded and he wasn't (C'mon, he's no more than 3 years older than Kevin; he couldn't have looked that _much older_ ), Esposito still believes it was of the best days of his life.

Because that was the night he got to know his partner, Kevin Ryan. And 10 years later they're still growing closer- if that's even possible.

Esposito watches as Kevin finally gets Sarah Grace back from Gates. The one and a half year old girl was passed around to friends who all took turns to oogle over how adorable she is.

An hour ago, the team had returned to the precinct ready to dive into another murder, but the moment Esposito and Kevin walked through the door everyone jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!"

Apparently, the party was Castle's idea of celebrating the '10 years of Rysposito partnership' and he got everyone else in on it.

Esposito catched Kevin's eye when he turns back around. His smile brightens and even Sarah Grace gurgles in his arms, "Unca' Javi!"

Kevin walks over to their desk clump where Esposito's sitting and takes a seat next to him, "Fancy seeing you here."

Esposito shrugs his shoulders, "It is _my_ party, afterall."

Kevin raises his eyebrows, "It happens to be my party, too."

Esposito smiles and looks around the bullpen, "Must be something important, seeing as so many people showed up."

"Has something to do with an anniversary." Kevin plays along with Esposito's ignorance.

Esposito points over to the sign hanging above the break room door that reads, ' _Happy 10th Anniversary!'._ "So I've heard."

Sarah interrupts their conversation with a confused stare, "You two!"

Kevin and Esposito both turn to Sarah Grace before turning back to each other with matching smiles. Esposito is the first to say it, "Happy anniversary, Kev."

Kevin's cheeks flush as he pulls an envelope from his pocket, "Happy anniversary, Javi."

Esposito takes the card with a small smile, "You didn't have to, bro."

Kevin shrugs his shoulders, "I wanted to."

Esposito feels his smile only deepen as he opens up the envelope. He pulls the card out and reads the elegant script aloud, "10 years together…" He notices that it's obviously a card meant for a couple, most likely married, but it's hard to find a platonic card for a 10th anniversary, so he won't tease his partner too much.

He opens the card and his soft smile turns into one that reaches his eyes as he stifles a chuckle and continues to read the inside of the card, "And here's to a million more, Javi." Everything was already printed on the card besides for 'Javi' which Kevin had written under the word 'sweetheart' he had crossed out. "Cute, bro. I'm going to treasure this in my heart forever."

Kevin rolls his eyes and grumbles, "Shut up. That was the least romantic card in the store, if you'll believe me."

Esposito ignores him and continues on to read Kevin's added, personal message at the bottom of the card in his head, _Thanks for being such a great partner. Together 'til the wheels fall off. Love, Kevin._

Esposito can't help the smile that comes again and if there's tears in his eyes, hell, he's blaming allergies. He holds the car firmly, but with delicate care in his hand and clears his throat, "I actually have something for you, too."

Kevin smiles, straightening in his seat as he watches Espo lean behind his desk and pull out two bottles of beer. He shrugs his shoulders and offers one to Kevin, "10 years ago today, I think I promised you a beer. Whaddya say, Kev?"

Kevin fixes his hold on Sarah Grace so he can take the beer from Javier's outstretched hand. "You had me at, 'Happy anniversary, partner.'"


End file.
